EC-out of diapers by one?

randomlurker2 · July 2012

I am a nanny. I know a little about EC from lurking here. Another nanny I know recently interviewed with a family who wants their child out of diapers completely by one Am I wrong to think this is actually impossible? I didn't think that the bladder control muscles were formed enough to consistently and successfully hold overnight until the child is older. I want to believe they don't mean out of diapers completely. saw the employment contract and one of the main points is that she is to help them meet their goal of no more diapers after age one. Needless to say she turned the offer down. I am all for EC and would love to try it when I have my own kids but this family seems to take it to the extreme

00jennifer00 · July 2012

I think it's probably possible by one, but not likely. Especially with multiple caregivers. We EC'd #2, #3, and #4 (right now). #2 would crawl to the potty at 9mo and scream until we put her on, but she still needed diapers at night and trips out until about 17mo. She was 100% out of diapers-day, night, nap, trips, everything at 19mo. #3 was less enthused, but he was 100% out of diapers by 20mo. #4...she's not as interested, so it might be a bit longer for her. For night dryness, I do want to include that my oldest (regularly potty trained, disposable diapered until the last three months of diaper wearing) spontaneously started waking up dry at 18mo. The other three have needed a middle of the night trip to the bathroom though.

Mrs. TLC · July 2012

my son has been diaper-free at night since about 15 or 16mo.

He is diaper free at home all day. We do diapers when we are out still.

The only thing is he has to be naked from the waist down, he hasnt figured out the difference between pants and a diaper so he will pee if he has anything on . but if he's naked he goes to the potty whenever he has to go

Teneniel · July 2012

Mrs. TLC:
my son has been diaper-free at night since about 15 or 16mo.
He is diaper free at home all day. We do diapers when we are out still.
The only thing is he has to be naked from the waist down, he hasnt figured out the difference between pants and a diaper so he will pee if he has anything on . but if he's naked he goes to the potty whenever he has to go

Haha! That's such a cute image! Little nakie buns running around at home all day. Probably great for his skin though!

3003girl · July 2012

Mrs. TLC:
my son has been diaper-free at night since about 15 or 16mo.
He is diaper free at home all day. We do diapers when we are out still.
The only thing is he has to be naked from the waist down, he hasnt figured out the difference between pants and a diaper so he will pee if he has anything on . but if he's naked he goes to the potty whenever he has to go

Mine was very similar except the nighttime.

We are diaper free during the day at 2 years. I'm not sure it would have been possible before then, because it was definitely kiddo's decision to be diaper free. ie she was physically ready way before she actually cooperated with the process. I would say she could hold it on purpose for 3-4 hours since she was a year. But, if you put anything on her bottom she would pee in it up until about 20 months.

I would be afraid of anyone who set goals like that for their kid though. We had a hope she would be diaper free at 2, but it was more wishful thinking, not a demand.

randomlurker2 · July 2012

Wow! Thank you so much for the responses. I have so far only worked with traditionally potty trains kids so I had no idea it could be done by 2. Heck the almost 4yo I work with now still wakes up absolutely soaked in the morning.

He is probably not a good example though because he will only potty without being prompted if he has to poop. He has not been in diapers for quite a while but has no issues peeing his pants. He will even go upstairs and change his pants and underwear and go on about his day.

Again thanks for the responses.

pixieprincss · July 2012

That would be a red flag to me about unreasonable expectations. EC is not about potty training, it is about communicating about bathrooms needs. Sometimes that communication happens and you get a "catch" sometimes that communication happens but you have a "miss". It is very normal for EC kids to have a major backslide around the time they start walking. At 9 months, we used maybe 2-3 diapers per day. Now, we have lots of misses because being active is just so distracting. Being nude can help with the regression, but only if the parents/caregivers are calm aboout "accidents" happening around the house. If a parent is tense about it or gets mad at the child then very well may backfire. In general, I do think that EC kids are diaper-free sooner, but to put a deadline on it is at the opposoite of what true EC's goals are. I've heard of EC kids out of diapers before 1 and others who still need them after age 3.

As for night-times, that does depend on the child. DS wakes up dry (after 5 hours of sleep) frequently. Mornings and after sleep are our best times for catches.

Temp123197812503460 · July 2012

I also read something recently about the possible risks of training too early.Basically that kids learn how to hold it, and then if parents aren't making sure they go often enough, they will hold it longer because they don't want to stop what they are doing to go to the bathroom.And the claim is that doing this for a long period of time can make the bladder muscles too strong and thus the bladder too small, as well as other issues.It's not problem if the caregiving is making sure the kid goes to the bathroom every hour or two, but it requires that kind of commitment.

pixieprincss · July 2012

somewhereincali:
I also read something recently about the possible risks of training too early.Basically that kids learn how to hold it, and then if parents aren't making sure they go often enough, they will hold it longer because they don't want to stop what they are doing to go to the bathroom.And the claim is that doing this for a long period of time can make the bladder muscles too strong and thus the bladder too small, as well as other issues.It's not problem if the caregiving is making sure the kid goes to the bathroom every hour or two, but it requires that kind of commitment.

I'm not positive what article you are referring to, but if it the one that I read, it turned out the publishers knew nothing about EC and got called out for applying their findings to EC rather than just sticking to saying that encouraging kids to "hold it" was harmful. With EC, optimally a child is commicating their urge and them being encouraged to go (even if that means a "miss).

Temp123197812503460 · July 2012

pixieprincss:
somewhereincali:
I also read something recently about the possible risks of training too early.Basically that kids learn how to hold it, and then if parents aren't making sure they go often enough, they will hold it longer because they don't want to stop what they are doing to go to the bathroom.And the claim is that doing this for a long period of time can make the bladder muscles too strong and thus the bladder too small, as well as other issues.It's not problem if the caregiving is making sure the kid goes to the bathroom every hour or two, but it requires that kind of commitment.

I'm not positive what article you are referring to, but if it the one that I read, it turned out the publishers knew nothing about EC and got called out for applying their findings to EC rather than just sticking to saying that encouraging kids to "hold it" was harmful. With EC, optimally a child is commicating their urge and them being encouraged to go (even if that means a "miss).

i wasnt clear, i didnt mean they said EC was harmful (they didnt mention it at all, and the issues they raised are obviously not related to EC), but that real full on, no diapers and kid gets themselves to the potty can be harmful. So that the goal of having the kid "normal" (i dont know, is there some EC word for this? potty trained early could be not a great idea.

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